Kettering woman raises more than £3,000 in memory of her mum

A six-hour danceathon held at Kettering Buccleuch Academy on Satuday, February 1, has raised more than £3,000 for charity.

Amy Heald, 22, raised a total of £3,770.45 from the event and will be donating £1,000 to Old Vicarage Nursing home and the remaining £2,770.45 to The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of her mum, Simone.

Amy said: "My mum was battling a brain tumour for three years, so it was a long time.

"Sadly we lost her in October last year.

"I am an only child as well, so it's now just me and my dad. It's definitely been a bit of a rollercoaster."

Amy attended the event with her dad, Martin Heald, who also helped her count up the total they raised.

Amy is donating to Old Vicarage Nursing Home because Simone was there for six months from April to October..

She said: "They were absolutely amazing."

The idea of raising money for the home and The Brain Tumour Charity came to Amy in around November last year.

She said: "I really wanted to raise some money.

"My mum always used to come and see me dance at school and we were always the first up on the dance floor at family events and things.

"I just thought it would be quite fitting."

Amy works at Kettering Buccleuch Academy and said principal Dino Di Salvo said she could use the school's theatre for the event, which she said was "really nice of him".

A sixth former volunteered to run the sound and lights system and Amy also had a zumba teacher, Libbie Sorbie, to take the attendees through a routine.

Amy said: "Over 100 people came.

"I did a raffle which was amazing, I had over 40 prizes and that was a big money maker."

The event was £5 entry and Amy also had cakes on sale, and altogether she has raised £3,770.45.

Amy said: "It was a six-hour event, I was very tired by the end of it.

"It was a really good day."

She said she might do another event in the future, but for now she was focused on this one danceathon and it was a good distraction over the last few months.

Writing on her Facebook page, Amy said: "Wow, what an amazing day! Thank you so much to everyone that supported me today, I really do have the best friends and family in the world.

"I am just so overwhelmed by all the support I received.

"I really hope my mum, Simone Heald, was having a boogie and watching over. This one was a celebration for her because she was and forever will be my inspiration."

Amy also has a Just Giving page which you can find here.